Yoga is everything your body needs to function at its absolute best. If you have a hard time working out you should definitely try it because the highly defined movements get you doing just that, active and moving around for once! It's low impact, yet at the same time demanding on your body and energy, so as you work through the poses you'll feel it.

Benefits That Yoga Can Give

Relaxes your mind

Lowers your stress

Lowers blood pressure

Strengthens and tone muscles

Burns fat

Stretches your whole body out

Loosens joints and muscles, which further reduces the likelihood of injury.

And best of all, it's one of the most effective ways to get rid of stubborn belly fat! The mid-section area is notorious for being seemingly impossible to tone, but with the help of the following yoga poses it becomes possible to work your way to a flat, beautifully toned stomach. Of course, you still have to eat a balanced healthy diet because the saying “abs are made in the kitchen” applies irregardless of any yoga you end up doing.

See below the best belly-fat blasting yoga poses, and check out the video to see exactly how to do them. Read on for more information!

1. Cobra Pose - Lay down on your stomach with legs stretched out behind you, forehead resting gently on the floor, hands palm down under shoulders, elbows tucked and touching your ribs. Inhale and begin to slowly straighten your arms and arch your back so that it raises your chest, head and shoulders up off the floor. Keep your hips and thighs on the ground but raise up as far and high as you can comfortably go. Hold the position for 15-30 seconds then slowly lower yourself back down. Repeat 5 times, resting for 15 seconds between each movement.

Benefits: Cobra works all of the abdominal muscles really well. It strengthens your back and upper body areas, make you more limber, and stretches your spine making it more flexible.

2. Bow Pose - Lay on your stomach with legs stretched out and hands at your sides facing up. Exhale as you bend your knees up, bring them as close as you can to your butt, then reach your arms back and grab your ankles. Breathe steadily and hold this position for 15-30 seconds before exhaling and releasing. Repeat 5 times and rest for 15 seconds between each pose.

Benefits: Bow pose works the core muscles in your stomach and gets them nice and tight. It also stretches out your entire body, especially the back and spine. People love it for its calming yet energizing effects and use it to not only strengthen their abs, but to also clear their minds.

3. Knees To Chest - Lie on your back with legs stretched out, heels together, arms resting at your sides. Exhale as you slowly bend your knees, moving them towards your chest. Grab and pull your knees in close, hugging them to your body, and hold for one minute. Breathe out while you release your knees, rest for 15 seconds, and repeat 5 times.

Benefits: By bringing your knees to your chest in this slow, deliberate manner you are tightening your ab muscles, stretching your lower back, and toning your mid-section. It also works wonders for speeding up metabolism and getting rid of fat that's stored around your waist.

4. Sun Salutations - This is not one move, but rather a series of 12 distinct individual postures that are done in a specific order. Refer to the video for instructions on how to do it. These are most effective when done first thing in the morning and are extremely beneficial for not only your abdominal muscles, but also your entire body.

Benefits: Sun salutations wake you up and give you energy to take on the day. They detoxify your body by getting your lymphatic system up and moving, which is how toxins are passed through the body. They also help your digestive system, making movements more regular and less clogged. The movements tone and tighten abdominal muscles, increase spinal flexibility, and help with weight loss by discouraging the build up of fat around the mid-sectiton.